The United Teachers of Dade, which represents more than 30,000 Miami-Dade County teachers and education professionals, will launch a series of daily “one-on-one conversations” with each of the county mayoral candidates beginning Friday afternoon (that’s today).
“The effort seeks to increase civic engagement among all education professionals and secure more pro public education 
leadership for Miami-Dade County,” reads a UTD press release.
They want their members to learn about each candidate’s positions on issues that are most important to educators today, which include not only public education and labor, but plans to address affordable housing, income inequality and the future of public schools in a post COVID-19 world.
“Public schools are an integral part of the community, our infrastructure, and local government,” UTD President Karla Hernandez-Mats said in a statement.
Read related: Daniella Levine-Cava resigns to run for mayor on heels of happy internal poll
“Recently our local government and citizens voted to support additional school funding to make-up for the failures of Tallahassee funding, among other issues. The pandemic has only highlighted these inequities,” Hernandez-Mats said, referring to the 2018 referendum bond passed by voters to pay teachers more and hire police officers for every school. A $1.2 billion bond in 2012 is to strengthen school infrastructure and technology.
“As we look towards recovery, strong local leadership will be more critical than ever, and so it is paramount that our workforce has every opportunity possible to become highly informed and engaged in the electoral process, from the August primary to the November general election.”
The 30-minute chats, called [read: branded] “Real Talk in the Teachers’ Lounge,” will be hosted on Zoom and streamed via Facebook Live through UTD’s Facebook page. The schedule is as follows:
- 5 p.m. Friday, May 29: Ludmilla Domond
- 1 p.m. Saturday, May 30: Miami-Dade Commissioner Daniella Levine-Cava
- 5 p.m. Monday, June 1: Commissioner Xavier Suarez
- 5 p.m. Tuesday, June 2: Former Miami-Dade Mayor Alex Penelas
- 5 p.m. Friday, June 5: Commissioner Esteban Bovo
There doesn’t seem to be any invitations for Robert Ingram Burke or Monique Nicole Barley, even though both did better than Bovo in Xavier Suarez’s internal poll.
It’s not a coincidence that Penelas’ live interview doesn’t fall at happy hour on a Friday or mid Saturday afternoon. Balsera Communications, the same PR firm that represents UTD, is also working for Penelas. So are the questions scripted by them to favor Penelas? That’s a legitimate concern.
And will there be any “Real Talk” sessions with commission and school board candidates? Seems like there should be if UTD is truly concerned about the way our taxpayer money is spent in the next four years — and not just how Penelas does.
Miami-Dade teachers union plans series of virtual mayoral candidate interviews added by Ladra on
View all posts by Ladra →
Ladra,
There is a rumor that Mayor Francis Suarez never had COVID-19 and that it was a publicity stunt. Is there any that Mayor Francis Suarez can prove those rumors wrong by being test for antibodies of the virus?
The Miami-Dade Police Director and City of Miami Police Chief should resign. They would have never tolerated such destruction of property in their own back yard. Their police force to protect and serve.
[…] Con información de politicalcortadito […]
After seeing the Mayor of Miami-Dade County and the City of Miami and their respective law enforcement agencies sit back and do nothing during last night uncivil protest, it is time to ensure that they are never elected for another public office.
Both Mayor Carlos Gimenez and Francis Suarez allowed for innocent people to get hurt and destruction of property last night. In essence, they say one thing and allow for the other. They are weak leaders! Xavier the apple doesn’t fall too far from the tree. Your son is too busy doing his eyebrows, instead of governing. He must have learned this from his father. Quit while you are ahead!
….Is not worthy of a single vote.
Not a single candidate is worth a penny. With that being said, any candidate currently a sitting commissioner is not of a single vote.
Miami/Dade County Mayoral Candidates hopefully will talk about accountability with Public Records Request when it comes to all the Miami/Dade County Attorney’s hiding information that we people keep asking for and slow walking our Requests for emails,Etc from County employees including Mayor Carlos Gimenez and Miami/Dade County Commissioners. Miami/Dade County Ethics and Public Trust Agency is a Agency who works for Mayor Carlos Gimenez and not the people in Miami/Dade County. Also,there is big Corruption with Miami/Dade County Expressway Authority collecting tolls at an alarming rate .The Politicians don’t care how much money they’re stealing from us by using toll money to help their Lobbyists friends by securing jobs at our expense. Remember people in Miami/Dade County that an electronic toll is another name for another Tax that a Miami/Dade County resident has to pay for because of terrible management by the Miami/Dade County Expressway Authority and Miami/Dade County Politicians ! Governor Ron DeSantos should take back the tolls and stop the Corruption!
UTD involvement in Political Matters and Churches inviting Politicians to Their Church ? Will they Have” Voleteras ” in The Audience ? This is turnig to be a horse and pony Show ! Who’s The Worth ? Don’t have a Good One ?